Queen Elizabeth’s Flying Habits Revealed, Including Mints, In-Flight Martinis and Her Own Pillows

Mar. 15, 2025

Queen Elizabeth II.Photo:RONNY HARTMANN/AFP via Getty

RONNY HARTMANN/AFP via Getty

Queen Elizabeth’s mid-air comforts have been revealed thanks to a new auction.

Mints and martinis are among the late Queen’s surprising flying habits that are detailed in memorabilia collected from a 1989 British Airways flight which is going up for sale at Hansons Auctioneers from Aug. 15-20.

Jo Smallwood inherited the memorabilia from her late aunt Elizabeth Evans, who served as a cabin crew member to Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip on the flight during their 1989 tour of Singapore and Malaysia, per aHansons press release.

The collection is expected to sell for between £400 to £600 ($511 to $767) and includes confidential instructions on caring for the Queen, revealing that she liked to “have a bowl of Velva mints at hand and in her dressing room” and often drank a Martini “before her guests arrive[d].”

Queen Elizabeth leaves Barbados on a British Airways flight in 1989.Alamy

Alamy

Per the release, Queen Elizabeth’s other royal comforts including having her own pillows onboard and having her bed made up. Crew members were also warned that if the late monarch fell asleep prior to landing they should not disturb her.

Evans, who died at age 70 in 2017, served many high profile passengers during her 28-year career with British Airways, includingRod Stewart,Patrick SwayzeandArnold Schwarzenegger. The collection up for auction also includes signed menu cards and autographs from the musician and actors, along with tennis legendBillie Jean King.

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Queen Elizabeth II departing France on a British Airways flight in 2004.Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty

Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty

She said of the collection, “I was aware of some of the things Elizabeth had kept from her career with BA but nothing on this scale."

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Hansons Auctioneers’ antiques & collectors auctionruns from Aug. 15-20.

source: people.com